Short Pre-ramble: I didn't write those last few confusing (yes, even for me) chapters to stop now. Let's keep the ball rolling now, shall we? Onward!

Sadame no Tsubasa : Wings of Destiny

Chapter 4: Separate, Joined Souls

'It's... just a dream. Then... why won't I wake up...'

'What's this, now? A tear? We can't have this, my dear.'

The red lights surrounding Sakura's shivering form gradually disappeared, leaving behind a swirling gray mist below her, swirling in a non-existent breeze. Sakura couldn't breathe... couldn't move as a disembodied hand appeared before her and wiped away that teardrop. As the hand drew back, dark patches of shadow flew in and coalesced onto the stump, slowly solidifying into a nude, female body, just about Sakura's height, their head bowed. Its long, curly light brown hair fell down in rippling waves like a long cloak, long bangs hiding their face in the process. As its nude form knelt low before her, Sakura backpedaled. It slowly approached, ignoring her wild attempts at keeping it bay with her sword.

'Don't come! Stay away!'

Finally, Sakura cried out and charged the form. Her sword slid cleanly through its stomach to the hilt and out the back, only for Sakura to gasp as sheer, burning pain enveloped her. Sakura fell to her knees and slumped slightly forward, her staring down in shock and surprise at her weapon sticking out of her stomach, blood starting to ooze down the handle. It knelt before her and lifted up her chin, revealing empty red eyes gazing intently into Sakura's green eyes, which clouded over in pain.

'My friend. My dear, dear friend. Let this Nekane embrace your entire being.'

Nekane stood and circled around Sakura's slumped form, before embracing her from behind. It smiled, though unshed tears collected on the edges of those dull red eyes. Sakura never moved an inch, only staring blankly forward, as Nekane became as shadow once again, and split apart. The patches of shadows circled around and flew into Sakura's body, disappearing without a trace. Her body suddenly rose, the sword sliding out with a sickening slurp. Both her body and sword slowly floated back down to the ground, Sakura resting on her back with her sword lying parallel next to her.

'Rest here-- stay here, within your mind. Let us dream together, for I am within you... and you are mine.'

The only movement left were those of the swirling gray mists.

Touya pounded on the marble floor with his clenched fists, hollow poundings echoing through the room. He looked up, and glared at the moon guardian who was hovering stoically a few feet away. "Where is she! You seem to know what's going on!" Touya stood up and roughly grabbed onto the blue and white robes, glaring up at the icy blue eyes with his rich brown ones.

"..." came the reply as Yue lifted a hand. Grabbing onto one of Touya's hands and giving a sharp twist, the young prince relinquished his grasp on Yue's clothing.

"Tell me, dammit!" Touya yelled.

"Touya-san. That's enough." Fujitaka strode towards the two, the barrier dropping as he passed through it. "Yue-san, was it? I believe I am entitled to some answers and you will provide them."

"... it's nothing. I just thought I felt my brother awakening."

Fujitaka continued to bore his gaze into the silver-haired guardian's as the king reached out and grasped Yue's wrist. "You raising a barrier? Not wanting your brother awakening? That is somewhat hard to believe."

"Something has awakened, Sire. Pray it's not what I believe, else the kingdom will mourn as one again." Yue's wings suddenly surrounded himself, forcing Fujitaka to let go and step back. The wings soon retracted, revealing Yukito floating slightly above the ground, staff still in hand. He blinked in confusion as he found himself before both the king and prince in the middle of the room.

"... why... what happened? The shadow?" Yukito scratched his head.

Fujitaka shook his head. "Disappeared. She... It fell into the earth. Do you really not remember anything?"

"Sakura-chan's missing... that's right! Excuse me, highness!" Yukito bowed deeply and rushed out of the throne room in a swirl of light grey and blue robes, silver staff in hand.

Fujitaka's brow creased slightly as he turned to regard Touya. "Touya-san. Help Yukito-san search for Sakura-san. I will handle... the rest… If you need to find me, I shall be in the library."

Touya could only nod as Fujitaka strode out of the throne room, leaving him alone.

'Sakura, where are you?' He, too, turned to leave, a heavy scowl fixed on his face.

From the depths of unconsciousness, a young lady with curly honey-brown locks stirred, her soft fuzzy blanket feeling quite warm to the touch, and moving everywhere she idly noted. That was the last coherent thought she had before pain exploded out from her stomach, forcing her to curl up into a little ball, tears filling her clenched shut eyes. '… itai yo…' Then, she was falling, as she rolled off her blanket. For several agonizing moments, she fell, unable to do much of anything. Without warning, she landed with an "oomph!" feeling once again, the moving fuzzy blanket below her. As pain, once again, filled her senses, a voice filtered in through the haze.

"…why must… carry her… I look like.. delivery service? ….great guardian beast…" the voice quietly, yet vehemently muttered.

Darkness overtook her once more.

With the sunrise long past also came a steady increase of chirping birds, heralding the advent of morning. Said chirping slowly grew louder as the same girl curled and twisted around up in bed, making a make-shift cocoon around herself with those linen sheets and warm, fluffy blankets. Feeling no more pain, just mild annoyance as they wouldn't leave her to rest in peace, she nonetheless suddenly sat up in bed when a deep male voice floated through the cloth barriers to her ears.

"Ohayo, Nekane-chan."

Nekane whipped her head around towards the doorway to see a tall man wearing a simple, indigo blue, long sleeved shirt and similarly colored pants leaning against the doorway. Despite the filtered sunlight shining through the windows and pulled gauzy curtains, there were still enough shadows to hide his features. Not that she needed to see him, his voice was enough.

Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times. "Y... you... Clow-sama!" She bolted out of the bed and tackled him energetically. He accepted the hit and both fell to the ground, her sitting up and straddling his thighs."You! You big... evil sorcerer! How could you! Leaving me behind like that!" Nekane cried, grabbing at his shirt. Pulling him up, she shook him with surprising strength.

He laughed softly, before reaching up and mussing her hair. The shaking gradually stopped, Nekane opting instead to lean again the sorcerer's chest, closing her eyes. "Don't leave me again...Clow-sama..."

"Don't worry, Nekane-chan." Picking her up, he lay her back down upon the bed and tucked her in, soon after sitting next to her. "Rest now."

As her breathing started to slow down, he murmured a few words, great wings unfurling from his back. A small pixie appeared in a haze of twinkling lights over his upturned palm, which then sprinkled sparkling dust over Nekane's form. She tensed momentarily, then relaxed as her breathing grew deep and steady once more.

"Rest, for tomorrow brings a new day."

Dawn broke across the land of Edria, sunlight spilling over the mountains surrounding the Crystal Palace. Said palace was bustling with energy to spare, as if it was preparing to receive guests. Or restart a massive search. Which it was. It had been three days since Princess Sakura had disappeared, and all who were capable, from the servants to the guards, continued their search of the castle as well as the surrounding countryside.

"Thank you for your hard work. Carry on. Find my daughter." Fujitaka nodded to the guard, who closed the library doors behind him. The king turned back to study the tomes and scrolls on long table before him, only to be interrupted by a baritone voice.

"Can't remember?" Fujitaka looked up towards the open doorway-- wasn't it closed, he thought -- to see a dark figure shadowed by the sunlight streaming in from the courtyard outside. Everything about the man was shrouded in black-- the robes, the unusual hat, gloves, boots, outside of the highlights and trimmings of dark blue, as well as the golden staff held vertical at his side.

"Reveal yourself!" When the man made no move to come into the light, Fujitaka cupped his hand before himself. With a simple exclamation of "Light!", a bright ball of all-revealing light sparked to life before him. Much to his dismay, the figure stayed shadowed, some sort of light-consuming darkness similarly above the figure's upturned palm.

"I mean you or those you hold dear no harm. I'm here to tell you that you won't find any writings on what Yue said in these," he gestured towards the table between them, "or within your memories." The figure's hand lowered, the darkness abating to reveal bright sapphire eyes and a smirk on his handsome face. Despite his looks, Fujitaka noted the majestic aura that the younger man exuded.

"Who are you?"

The man's smirk became slightly larger. "A balance. There's always supposed to be balance. Just as I balance you."

"Your name?" The king circled around the table between them and slowly approached the man.

"Ah. For now, my liege, that would be a secret." He bowed low before the king. "And before the little mistress wakes up, I better be away. It is, after all, what she told us." With a swish of his robes, the doors suddenly slammed shut and his figure disappeared from sight, leaving the king alone in the room.

Moments later, Fujitaka stormed out of the Library. "Guards! Find… the man…" he hesitated a moment, "No, keep searching for Sakura-san. My daughter is priority!" As the nearest men to him saluted and departed, his thoughts went back to the meeting back in the library. 'What in Clow's name did he mean by all that…'

The sharp crackle of broken branches sounded loudly in Touya's ears as he slowly urged his horse onward through the winding forest path, less than half a day's ride away northwest from the palace. The outskirts were lightly wooded, with much space between the trees for some of their fallen brethren amid the rocks and shrubs. The gurgle of the stream to his right did little to straighten his thoughts, a mess of worry for his little sister as well as anger at her being whisked away to only Clow knew where.

'If I find Sakura safe and sound, I don't know if I'll first hug her or slug her.' Touya thought as he shook his head and dismounted. Giving the chestnut mare a slap on the rump, he watched it run back towards the palace. Nodding in approval, he started to make his way on foot, careful to avoid the fallen branches and nearby brush.

An hour turned to two, and he found himself in a denser area of the forest, the foliage overhead blotting out most of the sunlight, leaving only a few patches of light to go by. The forest now was eerily silent, save for Touya's breathing and the creak and rustle of the woods around him.

A skitter and rustle of foliage above him and to his right made him turn sharply towards the sound. He unsheathed his sword as quietly as he could and dropped to a casual ready stance. Despite the cool façade on his face, Touya suddenly realized that he was completely alone. 'This isn't good. Why didn't I bring an escort?'

He slowly made his way towards his right in short strides, keeping his stance low towards the ground and always in perfect balance. He tensed as he started to pass the first tree, then darted forward and swung in a complete circle, expecting an attack. What he saw was enough for him to drop his sword.

Sakura was lying against a very gnarled tree, her face extremely pale. All over her body were various scratches and small cuts, her tunic torn along the sleeves and torso, cloak tattered, and her sword leaning against one of the roots slightly below her hand.

Touya scrambled to her, and pressed his forefinger and middle finger against her neck. Relieved at feeling a slight pulse, he gently slapped her face.

"Oi, Kaijuu. Wake up."

When she didn't stir, he turned to pick up and sheathe his sword. Afterwards, he took a few moments to wrap his own cloak around her. Leaning forward and carrying her piggyback, he turned to regard her as he started making his way back to the palace.

"Whoever did this to you'll be in a world of pain, Sakura. I promise you that."

As Touya turned back to look at the path before him, she sleepily opened her eyes. Dull ruby eyes regarded the passing greenery before closing once more.

'Clow-sama…'

Tsuzuku

Author's Notes:

Well! I know many of you reading are confused or lost by the events of the last few chapters. To be completely honest, so am I. Lost, anyway. Funny how inspiration hits with such force, and then sometimes leaves you hanging with a way to get back to your original ideas. Ah, enough whining.

Many a "Domo arigato!" to all who reviewed. Lord knows they helped keep my mind set on working past these troubles. And one heck of a "Domo arigato gozaimasu!" to both my muse for all those inspirational talks, and xDianaMoonx for being both pre-reader and editor.

Let's see… commentary!

Windflight: Yeah, I got that feeling from several readers. Hopefully, I can make ourselves unconfused, right?

heheangel kisses: I doubt this chapter clearly answers the crimson-world question. But, 's not my style to be straight-forward. I hope there's enough for you to start getting ideas about it. Tell me what you think!

xDianaMoonx: Hi, Di! Thanks for the review! I'll be definitely returning those favors! You know I will, too.

bittersweetdreams: Wow. Lots o' questions! Well, it'd be bad if I answered all of them, but let me just say that there be plenty o' references about. Kind of like how Sakura accidentally stepped on a magical butterfly and was sent off to Dreamland… As for the Syaoran… it's a secret. For now, anyway.

Signing off for now,

Eni Li'Nave